7 Reasons to Call in Sick

While summer may be most associated with beach bumming and barbecuing, for bosses across the country it's high season for bogus sick days. An estimated

39% of full-time workers play hookey during the summer months by calling in sick, according to a 2007 Workforce Institute survey. The most common days used for the summer sick days are, not surprisingly, Fridays and Mondays.

The survey found that among those who did lie about being sick, most cited the need for mental health day as the reason. That helps explain the clinical term now attached to the phenomena—Seasonal Absence Syndrome.

Some employers take the "if you can't beat 'em, join 'em" approach to the issue by instituting so-called Summer Fridays, in which workers are allowed to leave early or take the day off completely. Other firms allow employees to work from home or on-the-road.

Though often used on the fly, it's often best to maximize your pleasure by planning summer sick days in advance (Why waste a perfectly good summer Monday nursing a hangover?)

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